Food is an essential basic need to human beings and is needed for their survival. These foods, however, are obtained from different sources. Plants are one of the major sources of diet. Plant-based diets are foods that are entirely derived from plants and meat substitutes like soy products. Since the old days, herbivory (diet entirely of plants) has been the main food of human beings and has proved to be beneficial to human health.
A plant-based diet is a powerful way to achieve good health since they are rich in fibers, vitamins, and minerals and free from cholesterol and saturated fat. To easily understand the effects of a plant-based diet on the human being body, let us their pros and cons.
Pros of Plant-based Diet
1. Less expensive- plant-based products are cheap to obtain and to prepare as compared to an omnivorous diet. Therefore, they are accessible by anyone.
2. Reduced heart disease- plant-based diets have the ability to reverse heart disease and reduce the risk that results in heart failure. They are responsible for improving cholesterol and lowering blood pressure which are the main causes of heart defects.
3. Prevents diabetes- consuming plant-based foods prevents and manages diabetes within one’s body. These foods have the power to lower reduce body weight and improve the functioning of insulin. This helps to regulate blood sugars in the body. Also, symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be alleviated.
4. Minimizing the risk of cancer- various types of cancer can be controlled by taking foods from plant sources. Avoiding omnivorous-based products can play a vital role in lowering the risk of developing cancerous cells in your body.
5.Improves brain health- other than nutrients, plant-based products are rich in antioxidants and vitamin E, which are vital for maintaining the health of the brain. Also, these plants diet helps in preventing risks of Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive conditions that tampers with the health of the brain.
Cons of Plant-based Diet
1. Don’t meet all vitamins needed- plant-based diets do not contain all the nutrients needed by the body, and thus they require supplements.
2. Need to be prepared- most plant-based foods need to be prepared before consumption. This is time-consuming as a lot is time is wasted during preparation.
3. Doesn’t provide enough protein- plant-based products have a low quantity of protein as compared to animal products. Therefore, only consuming plant-based products can lead to protein deficiency in the body, and thus animal product supplements are required to maintain the protein levels in the body.
4. Causes gas in the stomach – most of the plant-based diet consists of fibers; these fibers may result in the building of gas in your stomach if your body is not used to enough fiber; when you intake foods with a high amount of fiber, it messes up with the bacteria on your stomach resulting in gas. This can cause embarrassment in the case where you’re in a public setting.
5. Not easy to adapt- changing your diet to only a plant-based diet is not easy as it requires a long time to adapt to these foods.
